CQC (the Care Quality Commission) has published the findings of their 2016 patient experience survey of people who have received community mental health services.

It found that overall the majority of respondents reported a positive experience of care, but that areas for improvement include patient involvement in their care decisions, provision of crisis care, named contacts for care planning and regularity of care reviews.

The 2016 Community Mental Health Survey received feedback from 13,254 people, and had a response rate of 28%.

Questions asking about involvement in care show that scope remains to include some people more fully:

Of those who had agreed with someone from NHS mental health services what care they would receive: 56% were ‘definitely’ involved as much as they wanted to be in agreeing what care they will receive.

Of those who had a formal meeting to discuss their care in the previous 12 months: 61% were ‘definitely’ involved as much as they wanted to be in discussing how their care is working.

Of those who had received medicines within the previous 12 months: 53% were ‘definitely’ involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about which medicines they receive (50% in 2015).

Of those who had received treatments or therapies (not involving medicines) within the previous 12 months: 56% were ‘definitely’ involved as much as they wanted to be in deciding what treatments or therapies to use.

Almost a quarter of all respondents (24%) said they had not been told who was in charge of organising their care and services. People who were not receiving services under the Care Programme Approach (CPA) were more likely to say they had not been told this (29%), compared with those on the CPA (12%).

Almost a quarter of all respondents (23%) said that they had not agreed with someone from NHS mental health services what care they received. People who were not receiving services on the CPA were more likely to say they had not agreed this (27%), compared with those on the CPA (14%).